If you’re keen to put together a music radio style podcast you’ll need to record your own voice. Many home computers have built in microphones, and many more have ports for external mics.

Once you’ve laid down your witty links and jingles, you’ll need to splice together your voice with pre-recorded tunes and convert it into an MP3. Certain pieces of software, like Apple’s GarageBand or the free, open-source application, Audacity, allow you to do this.

iTunes doesn’t actually store the podcast recordings. The files themselves are stored on the host’s sites. So, you’ll need to find somewhere to post your recordings- a simple blog site like blogger.com is OK- and you’ll need RSS files to allow you to share your material with iTunes. For more on this see podcastingnews.com's article on RSS feeds.

Once you’ve sorted all that, you can either just distribute your ‘cast from your own site, or go onto the Podcasts page of iTunes, click on Publish a Podcast and follow their instructions. They’d like you to give your podcast a title, and you can also provide artwork, and they’re keen to make sure you aren’t breaking the law (see next point). For a more thorough guide check podcastingnews.com's article on how to podcast.

You’re legally obliged to get permission to play the copyrighted music on your podcast. Many smaller labels, like Leeds’ Dance To The Radio or London’s Lucky Number, have a fairly relaxed attitude towards podcasts, though you should check before you go ahead. It’s worth trying major labels too. When contacting them, explain that you’re not making any money out of your cast, and you’re doing it because you love their bands.